Western Michigan basketball team makes the grade in pre-MAC portion of schedule

WMU coach Steve Hawkins yells from the sideline during Saturday's game at North Carolina State.Bob Leverone | Associated Press

KALAMAZOO, MI – Western Michigan University students are currently between semesters.

When it comes to the WMU men’s basketball team, those student-athletes are between semesters in many ways, too.

Safe to say, the Broncos (8-5) made the grade in their first series of tests, represented by the nonconference portion of the 2012-13 schedule. They are a work in progress, though, as they prepare for the next “semester” signaled by the opening the Mid-American Conference play next Wednesday.

WMU travels to Akron (9-4) for what will be the Broncos’ sixth road game in seven outings, and the Zips’ sixth straight home contest.

“Monday we did one long practice. On Tuesday we broke up into two different practices. (Wednesday) we did one long practice,” WMU coach Steve Hawkins said. “(On Thursday) we’ll have a film session and then a practice. On Friday we’ll have a film session and a practice, and then on either Saturday or Sunday we will have a big scrimmage day – most likely on Saturday, and then take Sunday off. Then on Monday, we’ll come back and it’s a normal week (of preparation).

“ … We won’t get into Akron until Saturday. Now, in terms of specific scouting report, after I watch them (Wednesday night), we may fit in some drills that I know have Akron in mind, but we’re not going to talk to the players about it.”

Spring semester classes at WMU begin on Monday. The Bronco basketball team has been at the head of its MAC class when it comes to Ratings Percentage Index, which serves as a real-time “report card” of sorts. The performance mark is based upon a team’s won-lost record against Division I competition along with strength of schedule.

According to realtimerpi.com, the Broncos were No. 57 as of Wednesday morning – and that does not count the home-opening 45-point win over NAIA Marygrove back on Nov. 13. Akron has the second-best RPI among MAC teams at 95, followed by Central Michigan (7-6) at 109.

“Yeah, (report card) is a good way to put it -- and not from a teacher, but from a neutral source,” Hawkins said. “It’s something that we feel good about. Ultimately, we know it’s going to come down to league play – nobody’s played a league game yet. … I’m much rather be where we are than being on the other end of something.

“ … And then the conference itself, the RPI is getting better than what it has been in the past. I think the conference RPI was 13. I mean, it gives you a little bit of a barometer of where things are as we’re approaching the halfway point of the year. We haven’t played a conference game yet, but I guess it’s a feel-good thing. From a coach’s standpoint, you’re looking to give them things to feel good about, things to give them a barometer.”

At this point, you’d have to say WMU is ahead of the curve considering its youth. Akron, Ohio and Toledo are sure to test the Broncos right out of the gate, though, in the MAC race.

INJURY UPDATE: Hawkins said that freshman wing Charles Harris, who suffered a separated shoulder last week, is currently rehabilitating the injury and “only time will tell” when he’ll be fully recovered. “It came out of socket, very similar to what happened to Mikey (Douglas) last year.”

Everybody else is relatively healthy, the coach said.

Redshirt junior guard David Brown, who suffered a meniscus injury in his right knee over the summer, is working his way back but his return to the floor appears to be a ways off.